Damper for baseboard heat diffuser



DAMPER FOR BASEBOARD HEAT ISIFFUSER Filed June 12, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l fiawa 60775 INVENTOR.

mm. 27, 1966 L. c. son's 3,2Mfl0fi DAMPER FOR BASEBOARD HEAT DIFFUSER Filed June 12, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fla. Z"

FIG-5- 42 INVENTOR.

4 2. flww United States Patent M 3,294,008 DAMPER FOR BASEBOARD HEAT DHFFUSER Louis C. Cotts, 2512 Oak St, Michigan City, Ind. 46360 Filed June 12, 1964, Ser. No. 374,699 12 Claims. (Cl. 9841) This invention relates to improvements in dampers for baseboard air diffusers. More particularly, it relates to dampers for use in diffusers of the character shown in my prior Patent No. 2,745,332, dated May 15, 1956, wherein an elongated diffuser, having a predetermined length and closed ends, has air outlets or openings at a longitudinal shoulder intermediate the height thereof and positioned below a substantially imperforate upper chamber having a portion partially overlying the discharge openings and defining therein a static pressure chamber.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a novel, simple and inexpensive damper which can be adjusted easily and simply to any selected position in a substantial range of positions.

A further object is to provide a damper which moves bodily in a predetermined path within an air diffuser having an upper closed static air compartment and which serves in different adjustments to vary the effective volume of the static air chamber and to vary the path of flow to the air outlets.

A further object is to provide a device of this character wherein a damper is mounted slidably in an air distributor for movement in a guided path by novel actuating means having a novel releasable latch mechanism for maintaining the damper in selected setting.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a baseboard diffuser utilizing my new damper construction;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical transverse sectional view of an air diffuser illustrating the construction of the damper and the damper-adjustment means;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view illustrating the damper adjustment means in an adjustment or setting thereof which accommodates variation of the position of the lock means for the damper;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one part of the damperadjusting means;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another part of the damper-adjusting means;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the third part of the damper-adjusting means;

FIG. 7 is an inner face view of the damper and damperadjusting means;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of a fragment of the damper and damper-adjusting means showing a modified construction of the device.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 10 designates an elongated baseboard air diffuser or distributor adapted to be mounted at the base of a wall of a building and to have connection at a boot or conduit 12 with a supply of treated air under pressure to be discharged into a building area for heating or cooling purposes. The distributor is characterized by a front wall 14, a top wall 16, a bottom wall 18, a rear wall 20, and opposed end walls 22. The unit may be of any desired dimension and commonly is supplied in lengths of three feet, five feet and eight feet, and may be of a height of from six to eight inches and a depth between two and three inches. The front wall of the distributor is provided with a longitudinal inwardly projecting shoulder 24 extending full length thereof spaced below the top 16 and provided with a longitudinal set of air outlet openings 26 which are preferably arranged in one or more longitudinal rows and are spaced in said rows.

3,294,008 Patented Dec. 27, 1966 The shoulder 24 preferably extends upwardly and inwardly from the plane of the front wall 14, as seen in FIG. 2. The portion 28 of the front wall 14 is inclined forwardly and upwardly and interconnects the rear margin of the shoulder 24 and the front of the top wall 16. Portion 28 is preferably arcuately curved or bowed vertically at least at a part thereof as seen in FIG. 2. the distributor is preferably closed or substantially closed at the portion thereof above the junction of the parts 24 and 28.

An elongated damper plate is mounted within the distributor and is adapted in its closed position, illustrated in full lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, to close the air outlet openings 26. The damper includes a plate portion 30 which is adapted to bear against the inner face of the shoulder part 24 to close the openings therein and an upper plate portion 32, preferably vertically inclined and arcuately curved or bowed so as to bear slidably upon the inner face of the distributor wall portion 28 as seen in FIG. 2. If desired, the damper may also include a bottom flange part 34 hearing against the front wall 14 below the shoulder 24 in the closed position of the damper. The part 32 of the damper preferably has two or more parallel elongated slots 36 formed therein. The slots 36 may extend vertically but preferably are inclined to the vertical as illustrated in F 1G. 7.

Actuating means for controlling the position or adjustment of the damper are illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 6, inclusive. The upper Wall part 28 of the distributor housing has an aperture 49 therein with which one of the slots 36 is adapted to register. An actuating knob 42 has a reduced diameter Cylindrical part 44 extending through the opening 46 and the registering slot 36. A reduced noncircular end part 46 of the knob projects inwardly beyond the inner surface of the upper damper plate part 32, and mounts a gear part 48 having a central opening conforming to the configuration of the knob part 46 to be nonrotatably mounted thereon.

The knob 40 has an axial bore 50 therethrongh having an enlarged outer end part 52 defining a shoulder 54 intermediate the length of the bore. An elongated stem member 56 is slidable and rotatable in the bore 54 and mounts an enlarged head 58 which is slidable in the enlarged bore part 52 and which bears against the outer end of a coil spring 6% whose opposite end bears against the shoulder 54. At its inner end the stem 56 mounts a plate or disk 62 having a portion 64 which projects laterally beyond the outline of the gear 48 and which carries an axially projecting internally toothed part 66 adapted to mesh with the teeth of the gear 48.

The upper damper plate portion 32 mounts an elongated rack 76 extending alongside the slot through which a part of the knob projects. The gear 48 meshes with the rack 70. The rack may be formed of metal or plastic and similarly the gear 48 may be formed of metal or plastic. Any suitable means may be provided for anchoring the rack to the part 32. In one construction, as illustrated in FIG. 8, I prefer to provide an arrangement in which the rack 70 is carried by an L-shaped carrier part 72, 74 struck from the damper plate 32 at a slot 36 and having the rack 70 secured thereto adhesively or by means of securing screws (no-t shown).

Guiding of the damper during its movement in response to manipulation of the knob 42 is accomplished by movement of the slotted part 36 relative to the knob part 40 and also by a guide member 76 carried by the distributor part or wall 28 and passing through the other guide slot 36.

The damper may move between a fully open position (not shown) and a fully closed position as shown in full lines in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the amplitude of movement will be determined in each case by the length of the slots 36. The movement occurs by vertical sliding of damper part 32 on curved inclined wall part 28 and is regulated by rotation of the knob 42 to rotate the gear 48 and cause the rack 70 to be raised or lowered and to similarly move the damper. When a selected adjustment has been reached, the part 58 is pushed inwardly and rotated to a position as illustrated in FIG. 7 at which the lateral projection 66 comes in contact with the rack 70 when the stem unit has been released from the FIG. 3 position to the FIG. 2 position at which the projection 66 of the plate 62 meshes with the teeth of the gear 48. It will be understood that subsequent adjustment of the damper may require depression of the plunger head 58 to disengage the parts 66 and 48 if damper movement is to extend to a more fully open position. In any event the plunger head 58 may be provided with a tool slot or recess to permit angular adjustment of the stern by rotating the locking member 62, 66 to a desired angular position for locking purposes while the stem is depressed, so as to disengage the part 66 and the locking member from the gear teeth of gear 48. Depression of the stem at the start of adjustment of the damper toward a closed position, for instance by rotation of the gear 48 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 7, is not required but such depression will be required when the adjusting movement has been completed and the locking function is to be accomplished.

One of the important considerations of this damper construction is that the entire damper constitutes a single metal plate which slides bodily along the wall 32, that is, in a downwardly and inwardly inclined curved path. The sliding action entails progressive angular displacement of damper part 30 from shoulder 24 and opens a passage of desired width behind the shoulder 24 and therebelow so that air under slight pressure may flow to the discharge openings 26. At the same time that the damper is moved from closed to open position, it will be seen that the volume of the chamber 80 in the upper part of the diffuser housing above the line at which the damper parts 30 and 32 merge is enlarged. Similarly, the reduced neck part separating the upper chamber 80 from the lower chamber portion 82 of the difiuser housing is restricted. Increase in volume occurs as a result of the lowering of the damper member compared to its closed position. This functioning of the damper is important for the purpose of insuring substantially uniform distribution of air throughout the length of the diffuser and at a distance from the location of the inlet boot 12. In this connection it will be understood that the inlet boot 12 may be located at any position along the length of the diffuser body and may communicate with the diffuser body at the bottom thereof, as shown in FIG. 1, or at the rear thereof, if desired, and it will also be understood that the damper will extend substantially full length of the diffuser housing, leaving only slight clearance as necessary to permit movement of the damper from its fully open to fully closed positions. The presence of a static air chamber 80 in the housing, which is imperforate except for its communication with the lower chamber 82, is important to the accomplishment of substantially uniform air distribution through the length of the diffuser casing.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that changes in the construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim: 1. A baseboard air diffuser comprising a housing having front, back, top, bottom and end walls and a connection to a source of air to be distributed,

said housing having an apertured shouldered front wall part intermediate its height and an upper front wall part,

said housing being vertically curved above the level of said shoulder,

a damper constituting a single plate bent longitudinally to provide a portion adapted to span and close at least some of the openings in said shoulder part and a vertically curved upper portion confronting, substantially conforming with, and shiftable vertically on said upper front wall part, and

means for retaining said damper at selected elevation relative to said shoulder vertical shifting of said damper bodily shifting said lower damper portion between a closed position in substantially face en gagement with said shoulder part and an open position displaced angularly from said shoulder and spaced therefrom, said diffuser being substantially imperforate above the level of said shoulder.

2. A baseboard air diffuser comprising a housing having front, back, top, bottom and end walls and a connection to a source of air to be distributed,

said housing having an apertured shouldered front wall part intermediate its height and an upper front wall P said housing being vertically curved above the level of said shoulder,

a damper constituting a single plate bent longitudinally to define a lower portion adapted to span and close at least some of the openings in said shoulder part and an upper vertically curved portion in face engagement with and shiftable vertically on said upper front wall part, and

means for retaining said damper at selected elevation relative to said shoulder,

said upper front wall part and said upper damper part both extending downwardly and rearwardly relative to the front of said top wall, whereby adjustment of said damper occurs in an arcuate path having a vertical component and an inward and outward component the upper part of said diffuser being substantially imperforate.

3. A baseboard air diffuser comprising a housing having front, back, top, bottom and end walls and a connection to a source of air to be distributed,

said housing having an apertured shouldered front wall part intermediate its height and an upper front wall part,

said housing being vertically arcuate above the level of said shoulder,

a damper constituting a single plate bent longitudinally to define a lower portion adapted to span and close at least some of the openings in said shoulder part and a vertically arcuate upper portion in face engagement with and shiftable vertically on said upper front wall part, and

means for adjusting and retaining said damper at selected elevation relative to said shoulder,

said adjusting means including a rack and gear connection between said housing and said damper, and

a releasable member interlocking said rack and gear, the portion of said diffuser above said shoulder part being substantially imperforate.

4. A baseboard air diffuser comprising a housing having top, bottom, front, back and end walls and a connection to a source of air to be distributed,

said front wall having an inwardly projecting apertured shoulder portion intermediate its height and an upper vertically curved portion inclined downwardly and inwardly from the top wall to the rear of said shoulder portion,

the upper portion of said housing above the level of said shouldered portion defining a substantially sealed chamber communicating with a lower chamber portion of said housing,

a damper plate bent longitudinally to provide a lower part adapted to span and close at least some of the apertures of said shouldered portion and a vertically curved upper part in face contact with the upper curved and inclined portion of said front wall,

guide means on said upper inclined front wall part for guiding sliding movement of the curved upper part of said damper along said upper curved and inclined front wall part between an upper closed position and a lower open position,

said damper restricting communication between said upper chamber and the lower portion of said housing when in lower open position, and

means for positioning said damper at selected setting intermediate its upper and lower limit positions.

5. A baseboard air diffuser comprising a housing having top, bottom, front, back and end walls and a connection to a source of air to be distributed,

said front wall having an inwardly projecting apertured shoulder portion intermediate its height and an upper vertically curved portion inclined downwardly and inwardly from the top wall to the rear of said shoulder portion,

the upper portion of said housing above the level of said shouldered portion defining a substantially sealed chamber communicating with a lower chamber portion of said housing,

a damper plate bent longitudinally to provide a lower part adapted to span and close at least some of the apertures of said shouldered portion and a vertically curved part in face contact with the upper inclined portion of said front wall,

guide means on said upper inclined front wall part for guiding movement of the curved upper part of said damper along said curved upper inclined front wall part in a curved path between an upper closed position and a lower open position,

said damper restricting communication between said upper chamber and the lower portion of said housing when in lower open position, and

means for positioning said damper at selected setting intermediate its upper and lower limit positions,

said last named means having a manually actuable part located externally of said housing.

6. A baseboard air diffuser comprising a housing having a front wall including an apertured shoulder part intermediate its height and an inclined vertically arcuate wall part above said shoulder,

a damper plate bent longitudinally to provide a lower portion adapted to underlie said shoulder to close at least some of said shoulder apertures and a vertically arcuate guide portion extending upwardly from said plate portion confronting said inclined arcuate upper housing wall part,

said upper housing wall part having guide means eooperating with said damper guide portion to guide movement of said damper guide portion in a vertically arcuate path along said inclined upper wall part between an upper closed position and a lower fully open position, and

means for retaining said damper at selected open position.

7. A baseboard air difiuser comprising a housing having a front wall including an apertured shoulder part intermediate its height and an inclined vertically arcuate wall part above said shoulder,

a damper plate bent longitudinally to provide a lower portion adapted to underlie said shoulder to close at least some of said shoulder apertures and a vertically arcuate guide portion extending upwardly from said plate portion and confronting said inclined arcuate upper housing wall part,

guide means carried by said upper housing wall part and co-operating with said damper guide portion to guide movement of said damper guide portion in a vertically arcuate path along said inclined upper wall part between an upper closed position and a lower fully open position,

means for retaining said damper at selected open position,

said damper guide portion having spaced parallel guide slots slidably receiving said guide means, and

actuating means carried by one of said guide means and extending externally of said housing for shifting said damper.

8. A baseboard air diffuser comprising a housing having a front wall including an apertured shoulder part intermediate its height and an inclined vertically arcuate wall part above and overhanging said shoulder,

a damper plate bent longitudinally to provide a lower portion adapted to underlie said shoulder to close at least some of said shoulder apertures and a vertically arcuate guide portion having spaced slots and extending upwardly from said plate portion adjacent said upper inclined housing wall part,

spaced guide means carried by said upper inclined housing wall part and extending through said slots,

one of said guide means constituting a rotatable knob,

and

means interconnecting said knob and damper guide portion to raise and lower said damper in a vertically arcuate path when said knob is rotated.

9. A baseboard air diffuser comprising a housing having a front wall including an apertured shoulder part intermediate its height and an inclined vertically arcuate wall part above and overhanging said shoulder,

a damper plate bent longitudinally to form a lower ortion adapted to underlie said shoulder to close at least some of said shoulder apertures and a guide portion having spaced slots and extending upwardly from said plate portion adjacent said upper inclined housing wall part,

spaced guide means carried by said upper inclined housing wall part and extending through said slots,

one of said guide means constituting a rotatable knob,

a rack carried by said damper guide portion alongside one of said slots, and

a pinion carried by said knob and meshing with said rack.

10. A baseboard air diffuser comprising a housing having a front wall including an apertured shoulder part intermediate its height and an inclined vertically arcuate wall part above and overhanging said shoulder,

a damper plate bent longitudinally to provide a lower portion adapted to underlie said shoulder to close at least some of said shoulder apertures and a vertically arcuate guide portion having spaced slots and extending upwardly from said plate portion adjacent said upper inclined housing wall part,

spaced guide means carried by said upper inclined housing wall part and extending through said slots,

one of said guide means constituting a rotatable knob,

means interconnecting said knob and damper guide portion to raise and lower said damper in an arcuate path when said knob is rotated, and

releasable means cooperating with said knob for retaining said damper at selected setting.

11. A baseboard air diffuser comprising a housing having a front wall including an apertured shoulder part intermediate its height and an inclined vertically arcuate wall part above and overhanging said shoulder,

a damper plate bent longitudinally to form a lower portion adapted to underlie said shoulder to close at least some of said shoulder apertures and a vertically arcuate guide portion having spaced slots and extending upwardly from said plate portion adjacent said upper inclined housing wall part,

spaced guide means carried by said upper inclined housing wall part and extending through said slots,

one of said guide means constituting a rotatable knob,

means interconnecting said knob and damper guide portion to raise and lower said damper in an arcuate path when said knob is rotated, and

releasable means cooperating with said knob for retaining said damper at selected setting,

said knob having a bore therethrough shiftably mounting said releasable retaining means.

12. A baseboard air difiuser comprising a housing having a front wall including an apeltured shoulder part intermediate its height and an inclined vertically arcuate wall part above and overhanging said shoulder,

a damper plate bent longitudinally to provide a lower portion adapted to underlie said shoulder to close at least some of said shoulder apertures and a vertically arcuate guide portion having spaced slots and extending upwardly from said plate portion adjacent said upper inclined housing wall part,

spaced guide means carried by said upper inclined housing wall part and extending through said slots,

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,064,573 6/1913 Ulrich 98-101 2,745,332 5/1956 Cotts 9840 2,814,242 11/1957 Man'ni 9840 2,814,243 11/1957 Berger 9840 ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

JOHN F. OCONNOR, Examiner. 

1. A BASEBOARD AIR DIFFUSER COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING FRONT, BACK, TOP, BOTTOM AND END WALLS AND A CONNECTION TO A SOURCE OF AIR TO BE DISTRIBUTED, SAID HOUSING HAVING AN APERTURED SHOULDER FRONT WALL PART INTERMEDIATE ITS HEIGHT AND AN UPPER FRONT WALL PART, SAID HOUSING BEING VERTICALLY CURVED ABOVE THE LEVEL OF SAID SHOULDER, A DAMPER CONSTITUTING A SINGLE PLATE BENT LONGITUDINALLY TO PROVIDE A PORTION ADAPTED TO SPAN AND CLOSE AT LEAST SOME OF THE OPENINGS IN SAID SHOULDER PART AND A VERTICALLY CURVED UPPER PORTION CONFRONTING, SUBSTANTIALLY CONFORMING WITH, AND SHIFTABLE VERTICALLY ON SAID UPPER FRONT WALL PART, AND MEANS FOR RETAINING AND DAMPER AT SELECTED ELEVATION RELATIVE TO SAID SHOULDER VERTICAL SHIFTING OF SAID DAMPER BODILY SHIFTING SAID LOWER DAMPER PORTION BETWEEN A CLOSED POSITION IN SUBSTANTIALLY FACE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SHOULDER PART AND AN OPEN POSITION DISPLACED ANGULARLY FROM SAID SHOULDER AND SPACED THEREFROM, SAID DIFFUSER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY IMPERFORATE ABOVE THE LEVEL OF SAID SHOULDER. 